West Palm Beach sexual abuse lawsuit

How Much is a Florida Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Worth?

July 6, 2024 | by David J. Halberg, Esq.

How common are multi-million dollar Florida sexual abuse lawsuit verdicts and settlements? The likelihood of such an outcome really depends on the facts of the case, but usually cases resolved by larger sums make their way into the headlines. Florida sexual abuse lawyer West Palm Beach

Often, as our West Palm Beach sexual abuse lawyers can explain, these larger verdicts involve some type of punitive damages.

Punitive damages are paid to the plaintiff/victim, but are imposed on defendants for punishment for egregious wrongs or deterrent for future bad acts — as opposed to strictly compensating a victim for specific losses. Punitive damages are less likely to be awarded than other types of damages (physical pain and suffering, mental and emotional anguish, past and future medical bills, etc.), but they can be appropriate in many of these circumstances.

Punitive damages made up 66% of a recent $9 million Florida sexual abuse lawsuit verdict against the U.S. Tennis Association. In that federal case, jurors found the organization failed in its duty to protect a teen athlete from being repeatedly victimized by her coach between the ages of 12 and 19, who was allowed to continue working 1:1 with teen girls even after he’d sexually assaulted an employee. The USTA said it did not know of the prior sexual assault until the coach was fired following allegations made by the plaintiff. The plaintiff, now 25, said her coach repeatedly sexually battered her when she was a minor.

Of the $9 million awarded in that case, $6 million was specifically for punitive damages.

Recent Six-Figure Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Verdicts and Settlements

Sexual assault cases usually involve an organization, non-profit, employer, school, government agency or property owner that failed in its duty to provide reasonable security, protection or oversight, which in turn made the victim vulnerable to attack or exploitation.

Among some of the recently-reported high-profile six-figure damages sexual abuse cases:

A $2.5 million verdict in Arizona against a “trouble teen boarding school” that charged $9,000 monthly for “tough love,” but instead reportedly failed to address physical, mental and even sexual abuse by staffers against the teens. Most of that damage award consisted of punitive damages.
A $4.2 million verdict against the U.S. Twirling Association and a coach after a federal jury in New York found that the organization was negligent in protecting her from sexual assault on an international trip to Lima, Peru. The organization reportedly did not provide security after promising to do so and exaggerated the experience of the coach. The teens were reportedly taken on numerous outings to nightclubs and private parties. The victim alleged the president of the club that sponsored the trip drugged and raped her.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore’s deadline to file claims against its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case expired in June, with more than 700 victims of child sexual abuse by clergy seeking a portion of $1 billion in damages.
A $2 million settlement against a women’s prison in Hawaii led to an upgrade of camera systems throughout the corrections facility. Prisoners alleged sexual abuse by guards, particularly in so-called “blind spots” of the prison an din control booths. It was revealed that 40% of the prison’s camera systems weren’t functioning. Staff reportedly bribed inmates with snacks, methamphetamine and other privileges in exchange for sex. Because of the inherent power dynamics, prisoners cannot consent to sex with guards, even if both parties are adults.
A $1.6 million verdict was awarded to a New Jersey woman who alleged she was sexually abused by her teacher at school for months. The district was 60% liable. The teacher, now a local minister, was deemed 40% responsible.
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts has agreed to pay $12.5 million to former students who allege they were raped, groped and sexually harassed by teachers and staff.
A girl in Oregon was awarded $9 million in a verdict against her school and other parties for failure to protect her from sexual harassment and rape by male peers at her school while she was a third-grader.

Possible Damages in Florida Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

Victims of sexual assault who file civil lawsuits against the perpetrator and (more commonly) other parties responsible can seek financial compensation for: Continue reading

Deadline for Filing Child Sex Abuse Civil Claims Weighed by Florida Supreme Court

October 22, 2020 | by David J. Halberg, Esq.

Certain Florida child sexual abuse civil claims will have a much shorter statute of limitations than some appellate courts had previously ruled due to a new decision by the Florida Supreme Court. The case involved a conflict among lower Florida courts about the accrual of civil claims for sexual abuse. West Palm Beach sexual abuse attorneys

Almost every kind of legal action in Florida – whether it’s prosecution for a crime or a civil claim for monetary damages – is subject to a time limit on how long you have to file. For example, most Florida personal injury claims must be filed within four years of the date the injury occurred. For medical malpractice, it’s two years. There are some exceptions, but courts are pretty strict on this.

As our West Palm Beach sexual abuse lawyers can explain, a civil claim usually “accrues” (meaning the clock for the statute of limitations starts ticking) at the time the incident occurs. However, there are some kinds of claims for which the statute of limitations won’t accrue for a delayed period of time. One of those – sometimes – is child sex abuse cases. Continue reading

Florida Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Often Involve Predators in Positions of Trust

August 22, 2020 | by David J. Halberg, Esq.

Many Florida sexual abuse lawsuits stem from a violation of trust by someone in a position of power. Cases in recent years have included coaches, teachers, health care workers, bosses, corrections officers and clergy. South Florida sexual abuse lawsuit

Although a survivor of sexual abuse by any perpetrator may have grounds to claim civil liability damages against that individual, cases with at least one third-party defendant tend to have a higher chance of success in terms of an actual payout. Many third-party defendants in sexual abuse cases are organizations, institutions and agencies that owed a duty to protect the victim – and failed.

One such case recently reported on by The Tampa Bay Times stemmed from a 2018 incident in which a 19-year-old woman was admitted involuntarily to a local hospital under the state’s Baker Act. Because there was concern she might harm herself, her family was not permitted to see her and she was assigned one-one-one mental health evaluation and care. According to the recently-filed Florida sexual abuse lawsuit, that employee sexually groomed and abused the patient over a five-day period. The employee was later fired, arrested and convicted of sexual misconduct. He was sentenced to six years of probation and required to register as a sex offender. Now, both he and his former employer are being sued. Continue reading